Empire
by wmountain
Summary: Post S4. The universe has plans for Kim and Shego.
1. Foreward

**The Rise and Fall of the Lowardian Empire**

(Even a Small Pebble Will Make Ripples In a Big Pond)

Foreward

I've been trying for the better part of a few months to write/rewrite/rework my original two fics.

This particular plot bunny dug an impregnable fortress and outlasted all attempts to dislodge it from holding my word processor hostage. A short memorial is planned for all those wasted hours where I sat staring at my monitor in disbelief.

I couldn't even find solace in playing WoW nor burying myself in the other online works at ff-dot-net and aff-dot-net. I read dozens of 100K+ in many fandoms to no avail.

Yes...it even defeated the waves of internet pr0n heaped upon its battlements. I couldn't even have proper pr0n dreams...just night after night after night of this.

I woke up one morning in a cold sweat (I'm not kidding here) and was forced to sign the armistice...I must get this out of my head or I'm going to go crazy.

As always, Kim Possible and all canon characters property of Disney. I have taken liberties with last names and first names where not given in any of the tv seasons nor movies. If I have unconsciously used an original character, pm me and I'll alter the disclaimer. I am poor and unemployed...hint...not a good suit target.

My other two fics are in some really weird state of rewrite and I will fix them once I pay my debt to my subconscious.

Rated M for violence, language, etc. Lots of etc. Whole CHAPTERS of etc.

Kim/Shego, obviously, although it gets there via a weird route. A lot of focus on some surprise guest stars...no, not original characters, just some highly imaginative consequential roles.

Several languages will get thrown around. I was too lazy to get out my old college books to invent anything meaningful, so I just use differing brackets: Lowardian, [Japanese] being the two primary examples.

I'm copyrighting this one under the Berne Convention, etc., etc. even though I know I'll never create quite the universe that KIY or a few other people of note (not noted here) have done.


	2. Prologue

Prologue

_The Conqueror-class light cruiser hung motionless behind the planet's single moon having slid into a geosynchronous orbit after emerging from FTL. Sensor drones, the size of softballs, flew from its forward launch tubes and spread themselves around the cerulean planet beyond their concealment._

_/Sensor net deployed my Lord/_

_Warhok carefully readjusted the medical monitor clamped around his forearm in annoyance as the thing shot him with another dose of something unspeakably calming. He did :not: need something calming at this, the culmination of months of preparation after his ignominious defeat at the hands of that Earthling male-child. The emergency transport device had saved both his and Warmonga's life. A trick that, had he been merely another of the Empire's soldiers, would not have allowed him the chance to...correct...this little bit of theater._

_/Status of their rebuilding effort?/ he bit off._

_/Progress far beyond what their previous technological base suggests my Lord/ whispered a sweating subaltern._

_/Explanation?/_

_The subaltern made several adjustments to his readout. /There appears to be a high concentration of Lowardian power sources and technological systems in use around the planet, highly concentrated on the smaller of the northern continents my Lord. I'm putting it up on the main now my Lord/_

_A map of what the natives called North America shimmered into existence above the main plot tank. Icons detailing the Lowardian technological pieces being used danced on the map as the sensor net made on-the-fly adjustments. A particularly dense blot of icons covered an area he knew with all too familiarity: Middleton Colorado, home to both the red-headed witch who defeated Warmonga thrice and that blond-headed male-child who had attempted to end his and his mate's life._

_/Begin DNA scanning for the lifeforms I have just transferred to your station/_

_/At once my Lord/ gulped that same, very nervous, subaltern._

_/I will be with my spouse. Do not disturb me until you have located and isolated those two subjects!/ snarled Warhok as he stalked into the bridge transporter and disappeared._

_The subalterns comprising the bridge crew released their collective breaths once sure he was not coming back._

_The science station officer stretched and looked over at the much older man sitting in place of the normal security chief. Making sure that the automated scans were underway, he pushed off and strolled over to the security station._

_/Why are we here again Captain?...and not on our way back to Lowardia for proper debriefing, punishment, and reassignment?/ he whispered._

_The ship's former captain glanced around and pressed a button on his console. /Because, son/ and he rolled his eyes suggestively /a relative of the sitting Emperor, even one so removed as our illustrious commander, cannot be allowed to return after a debacle such as this. His wife was defeated in honorable combat at least twice by the same alien woman, he was rendered helpless and unconscious by a male of the same species, and lost a capital ship attempting to cover up his spouse's dishonor. Any other man would be sentenced to the Arenum for even one of those things. Warmonga herself should have been decommissioned and readjusted for population growth on a colony world when she first returned in defeat from that ridiculous quest for the "Great Blue". No, I'm more worried about all you first-year subs/. He shook his head._

_The young subaltern in front of him snapped his mouth closed. /Sir? Why is that? We have been following orders from a member of the royal family!/_

_The captain placed both of his hands on the sub's shoulders. /Son, I don't know how many of us are going to be allowed to live to see home again, much less attempt to explain our role in this/._

_The subaltern turned puce. /He's going to kill us sir?/_

_The aged officer nodded. /He cannot have any witnesses to dispute a version of the story that leaves out those defeats. Speak to your yearmates. Find out who you can trust. I may have a way out of this for all of us, but we need to move quickly once the commanders leave the ship. Can you do this quietly?/_

_The sub nodded. As he was about to say something else, his console chirped._

_/Subjects identified and located. Anomalies exist./ intoned the female computer voice._

_The sub rushed back over to his console as all activity stopped on the bridge._

_/List anomalies in order and preferred solution/ he said._

_/Male subject cannot be localized due to technological interference not currently evidenced by this species. Last scanned location, archipelago off the southeastern shores of the largest norther hemisphere continent. Solution: report immediately to sector commanders to raise general alarm as this shows high probability of imminent danger to the Empire./_

_/Computer. Record. Recommendation forwarded to the ship's commander. End Record. List next anomaly./_

_/Female subject localized. Currently at/near known energy signatures. Anomaly. Such energy signatures cannot exist outside of Emperor's domain. Solution: requires more input parameters./_

_The subaltern rubbed his head. /Computer. Remove known location restriction of energy signatures and re-analyze./_

_/Working....working....working....working./_

_The sub started to lean back in his chair, figuring the computer was going to take some time to work out the quandary when he and the other bridge crew were scared out of their seats by an alarm klaxon and a new computer voice, this one masculine._

_/Zou particle detection. Omega clearance personnel to the bridge. Repeat Zou particle detection in progress. Unauthorized personnel on ship will be transferred to detention hold in 10 seconds. Repeat.../ the voice droned on._

_The wizened captain watched in dawning horror as his crew disappeared one by one into the green flashes of the transporter._

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Warhok stared down at the glistening off-green back of his wife as he dug his fingers into her hips and began pounding harder. Warmonga responded with renewed gasps as she was pushed further into the sleeping surface as she tried to arch back to meet his renewed vigor._

_The sounds of flesh slapping turned to grunting and moaning as Warmonga's nipples were dragged back and forth across the abrasive thermal covering of the mattress. These turned quickly to yips then yelps, then, with one massive push back, she howled out her release and collapsed on her forearms._

_Warhok was not quite finished. Without breaking rhythm, he reached down and grabbed a large handful of her hair and used it as additional leverage to increase the friction he needed to release. Warmonga cried out as her head was jerked back at such an unnatural angle. Warhok released her hair and slapped one of her cheeks hard._

_/After three defeats and the embarrassment of your self-indulgent quest for this "Great Blue" who tricked you into serving him as you would me!...you thought to withhold our marriage bed?/ he snarled._

_/I will not tolerate disobedience in my women. When we return to Lowardia, you will retire to bear my children thus ensuring more royal heirs and I will find a new woman to warm my bed!/ each word punctuated by another slap._

_As he was raising a now-clenched fist, the computer began blaring._

_/Zou particle detection. Omega clearance personnel to the bridge. Repeat Zou particle detection in progress. Unauthorized personnel on ship will be transferred to detention hold in 10 seconds. Repeat.../ the voice droned on._

_Warhok's eyes widened. There was only one known source of Zou particles in the universe. He hit the tranporter at a dead run leaving his weeping spouse with little to no thought._

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_When he rematerialized on the bridge, the captain was standing at attention next to the command chair._

_/Sir! Omega procedures complete. All uncleared ship's personnel confined to the holding bay sir!/_

_Warhok carefully folded himself into the chair and pressed a complex key sequence into the controls. The main plot tank display cleared._

_/Computer. Warhok. Clearance Omega. Echo-Echo-nine-nine-four-Gamma. Respond./_

_/Verifying clearance. Please hold./ the male voice echoing around the near-empty bridge._

_/Clearance verified. Welcome aboard my Lord. Zou particle detection requires immediate response. What are your orders?/_

_/Computer. Identify source of Zou particle emissions./_

_/Two emission sources detected. First source corresponds to female DNA strand given to this ship's basic AI for scanner identification. Emissions from this subject are at barely detectible levels. Second source unknown. However current physical location is in near proximity to the first subject. Emissions from second subject read at same levels as known source but in a different spectrum of emission. Casual analysis suggests contamination or incomplete emissions./_

_/Suggestions?/_

_/Immediate capture and maximum FTL return to Lowardia. Special approach and landing procedures authorized. Transfer of subjects to Guard Unit Omega upon reaching maximum transporter distance/_

_The captain coughed once, earning him a glaring eye from the commander._

_/Sir, I feel I must remind you of the Emperor's General Order Three. No female prisoners are to be taken aboard any Lowardian military vessels of any kind below command carrier-class?/_

_Warhok stopped a moment in thought, then grinned evilly._

_/Captain, do you perhaps know the origin of General Order Three?/ he sneered._

_The man swallowed hard. /No commander. Just that it is the oldest General Order in the field manual and that, generally speaking, no battle, no planetary conquest, has ever involved females on the losing side in as much recorded history that is taught at the academy./_

_/Then, captain, what do you suggests takes precedence? General Order Three or an Omega Emergency?/_

_The captain fought the urge to blot his forehead. /I'd suggest, sir, that my recommendation be duly noted and to continue your plan for the Omega emergency./_

_/Your opinion has been duly noted. I am taking a stealth cutter to the planetary surface to capture these subjects. While I am gone, prepare an interrogation apparatus inside the holding bay./_

_/What about the crew, sir?/_

_Warhok stopped short of the transporter._

_/Gas them./_

_With that, he disappeared in the familiar green flash. Seconds later, a slender silver minnow sped off, looping gently around the moon's perimeter, sliding into stealth as it cleared the darkside line._

_The captain shook his head. He was going to have to do something that hadn't been done on a Lowardian ship of the line in a very long time._

_Mutiny._

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Two sets of green eyes met across the dojo floor. One set below a mop of dark red hair, the other onyx. Neither set left the other as their bodies slowly circled each other in an intimately familiar dance. The dojo's owner nee sensei sat on a raised platform at one end of the open air sparring area while the remainder of his advanced students knelt before him. All intently watching the two circling figures._

_An eyebrow arched. A mouth quirked. Both sets of jade orbs hardened and two nearly identical kiai's pushed out into the chilly afternoon air._

_And two nearly identical thuds echoed across the open floor as Kim Possible and Sharon Goh (once known as Shego) cleanly took each other out of the fight._

_[Possible-san, Goh-san, in all my years of teaching never have I seen two students do such an amazing and at the same time predictably ineffectual thing as this.]_

_Kim lolled her head over to look at Shego as the former villianess did the same. Their only response was to smile at one another._

_[You two have reached the end of what I can teach...] the small man continued [unless you wish to continue your impression of Larry, Moe, and Curly?]_

_This caused both women to snort in amusement._

_They both managed to roll to their feet._

_[Thank you sensei, for you instruction] they both said, bowing._

_Some time later they emerged and headed for Kim's Sloth._

_With summer gone and the rebuilding projects well in hand once Kim bullied various world governments, all with the help of GJ, to let Wade Lode, her now itinerant personal genius convert the defunct Lowardian destruction units into mobile re-fabrication factories and to convert the remaining wreckage of the Lowardian ship into Earth's first real shot at space beyond the Moon (something her father absolutely could not stop talking about), she had taken time to try and enjoy life after high school._

_The initial high from Ron's victory and the resultant moves forward in their personal relationship (hey, she'd let him get all the way to third base) came crashing down when Master Sensei and Yori arrived to take Ron back to Japan for what they called his new "service". Ron and his family had packed their remaining belongings and moved lock, stock, and barrel._

_Lacking any real direction since she wasn't a part of the current rebuilding efforts nor were any colleges back in business for her to continue her education, she found herself turning to her former rival for fun and companionship._

_It had started small, meeting for coffee and appearing at each others various dojos (like today). But the shy smiles and tentative hand-holding was beginning to take hold more and more._

_Kim pulled closer to Shego, reveling in the woman's elevated body temperature. Shego smiled down at her and put an arm around her shoulders socketing her into her side._

"_Like that pumpkin?"_

"_Mhmmm"_

_Shego stopped suddenly causing Kim to leave the warmth, rather reluctantly, and gaze up._

"_Something wrong Shego?"_

_Shego opened and shut her mouth several times, looking around the empty lot and at the surrounding buildings with interest._

"_Kim..." she only used Kim when she was serious "...remember how Dr. D's hovercraft stealth field always gave you the heebee jeebees?"_

"_Yeeesssss....Sharon. Why?"_

"_Center and clear. Are the hairs on the back of your neck standing up like mine are?"_

_Kim closed her eyes. About two seconds later, every hair on her body stood on end._

"_You go left, I'll go right?"_

_Shego grinned._

"_About time"_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Warhok observed the red-haired witch emerge from one of the buildings below, arm in arm with a female that looked like Warmong's description of yet another warrior who had defeated her._

_He spared a glance down at his instruments to confirm that both Zou particle sources were these two females._

_Just as he began his descent to transporter range, his com chirped. The cruiser's computer was requesting communication._

_/Warhok/_

_/Commander. I regret to inform you that a mutiny has commenced aboard this vessel. The crew is currently trying to use the basic AI to take primary control of ship's systems./_

_Warhok grimaced. Idiot captain, he thought._

_/Sedate the crew. Convert the holding bay into brig cells and confine the crew there once complete. Set up a level 2 interrogation room and await my arrival. Warhok out./_

_After shutting down the com, he looked down and saw the two split and head off in different directions._

_Anger and pride warred briefly within him before he nudged the cutter after one of the running figures._

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Shego :felt: the cloaked ship take off after Kim. She shifted course automatically and picked up her pace._

_She ran flat out, covering ground like a galloping black gazelle. Looking up, she saw the pilot make an error as the ship flew between a row of spotlights and a building, casting a shadow giving the woman a target._

_She let loose with several kinetic bursts._

_Kim, on the other hand, was beginning to run out of running room. She had made a wrong turn several block ago and ended up in the warehouse district. Too many dead end alleys, too many closed in delivery lots._

_Every nerve in her body was screaming that something or someone was just a step or two behind her as she rounded yet another corner....straight into a dead end._

_She spun around in time to catch several green fireballs impact the hidden craft._

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Warhok cursed as the blasts from one of the subjects overloaded one of the stealth projectors and the field collapsed._

_He targeted the now-still red-haired witch and fired the capture field and transporter._

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Shego watched in horror as a blood red beam shot out from the prow of the recognizable Lowardian craft and hit Kim in the chest, causing her to go rigid then fall over limp. Pumping her legs faster, she watched as a hatch pattern materialized over the fallen girl. Frantic, she dove, hand out to drag Kim out from under the beam._

_Her hand passed through a green flash as Kim disappeared. Her tuck and roll brought her up just in time to see the ship quickly accelerate through the upper atmosphere and disappear._

_Fighting tears, she reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out an older version Kimmunicator._

"_Wade, the Lowardians just kidnapped Kim."_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Warhok looked at his flickering console with a fair amount of trepidation. Those plasma blasts had damaged more than the stealth generators. He touched his com._

_/This is Warhok. Am I close enough for you to transport both my prisoner and I directly to the ship?/_

_/No commander. I can only transport one at a time at this distance. Do you wish for me to proceed?/_

_/Transport directly to sickbay. Once you have completed transport, destroy this cutter./_

_/Affirmitive commander/_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Kim groaned and opened her eyes. She thought she was imagining things. :Am I swimming in green Jell-O?:_

_She experimentally twitched her arms only to find them secured, forearm to forearm, behind her back, her legs similarly from knee to ankle._

_And she was quite naked._

_A dark blur moved out of the corner of her eye. Vainly she tried turning to see, but only managed to twitch._

_A speaker crackled to life in her ear._

"_Greetings once again little one"_

_Kim narrowed her eyes to slits. "Warhok. What an unpleasant surprise to find you alive. I had hoped the last trip you took was...exciting. I can't wait to send you on another one."_

"_Tsk tsk little one. I now know what you are capable of. I assure you that I have taken more than adequate steps to insure we finally have a nice conversation. If you can manage to keep it civil, I might even be persuaded not to...be creative with my questions. Do you happen to have any before we start?"_

"_What am I bobbing around in?"_

_Warhok grinned. "It's a medical tube. The fluid that surrounds your..." he raked his eyes up and down her nude form before continuing "body is capable of carrying nutrients and medications directly to your bloodstream through your skin. Usually the fluid is yellow, but with your...mmmm....special needs, we had to make some modifications."_

_Kim huffed, or tried to. "Modifications?"_

_Warhok moved to the main console. "Yes little one, modifications. You see, we are not actually in the medical bay at all."_

"_Not?"_

"_Not. We are in a level 2 interrogation chamber. Shall we begin?"_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Beep-beep-beep beep_

_Shego activated the Kimmunicator. "Anything Wade?"_

_Wade shook his head and hunched his shoulders. "Can't find her chip anywhere Sharon. I did find a new Lowardian sensor network, but nothing on Kim yet. The ion signature from that ship you scanned ends abruptly just outside of near-Earth orbit. Simply disappeared. Dead reckoning suggests the ship was headed to the moon, but there's just nothing up there. Can't scan the dark...side...waitaminute. That's the perfect place to hide!"_

_Shego harrumphed and she put on an innocent face. "How far along is the design you and her brothers are working on hmmm?"_

_Wade sputtered, gabbled, and waved his arms around wildly. "Design? What design?"_

_Shego stared hard and the small screen and began to screw up her face._

_Wade, seeing it incoming, quickly relented. "All right, all right. Technically it's space-worthy, but if we tried to launch it, a lot of people would be awfully....put out if you know what I mean."_

"_Scare me up a ride to GJ then. I have some quick talking to do."_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Dr. Elizabeth "Betty" Director watched as Shego bounded down the fire stairs of the underground complex currently serving as Global Justice Headquarters (as the former one was a primary target of the initial Lowardian attack). She smiled as Shego managed to beat the elevator carrying her second-in-command Will Du by over two minutes._

_Counting down, she stood up and opened her office door just as Shego reached for it._

"_Please come in Sharon."_

_Shego merely sighed and rolled her eyes. "Every time Betty, every time."_

"_Biscotti? Still drink that awful concoction you call coffee?"_

"_Look Betty, I don't have time to sit and play nice. An hour ago, I failed to stop the Lowardians from kidnapping Kim right in front of me and..." she trailed off as Dr. Director raised a hand and stopped her from continuing._

"_You want me to sanction the launch of the Possible-Lode FTL corvette-class starship and rush others into production?"_

_Shego's jaw dropped...and worked up and down. She opened her mouth several times over the next few minutes only to close it again. She finally threw up her hands and sat down at the small table, picking up a biscotti and nibbling the edge._

"_While you were en route, it appears that several, as in most, of the recovering first and second world countries were /cough/ pressured into considering what would happen if the Lowardians came back any time in the near future. In an emergency meeting at the UN, Global Justice was dissolved."_

_Shego blinked. "Wha?"_

"_They immediately formed a new agency: Global Defense. And they put me in charge of getting our global act together...the faster the better."_

_The biscotti dropped from her fingers. "I repeat. Wha?"_

"_Naturally, the only people who had a chance of getting something like the going quickly were the Possible twins. When none of my agents could find them, nor could we contact young Mr. Lode, we went....looking."_

_Shego nodded to continue, having gone back to nibbling the biscotti._

"_We found them prepping for launch and had to redirect their efforts. They are currently busy duplicating all of the schematics and documentation to be distributed to various manufacturing centers in select countries to begin building of the Global Defense fleet. Their prototype ship is in the hangar in this facility. She crews six."_

_Shego finished the biscotti. "And?"_

"_We need someone on weapons."_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Kim screamed again as Warhok sent another long wave of electricity through the gel and into almost every exposed square of skin._

"_Your screams excite me little one. But I see that your tolerance to purely physical methods of persuasion will only interfere with getting the answers I need."_

_Kim groaned as another tremor/aftershock shook her. "Oh but I thought that you already had the answers you wanted and had moved on to just hearing me scream."_

"_If that were true, little one, then I would have simply used much more direct and primitive means to make you scream. As it is, we unfortunately move on to the pharma portion of today's little show." he cooed, pressing several buttons._

_Kim felt nothing at first, then a slow blurring of her vision and a vague sense of sleepiness._

"_Wha'd you do toooo meh?"_

"_Hush little one." Kim nodded and sagged. He waited until the readouts hit the correct levels._

"_Tell me again about Team Go."_

"_Hego, Mego, Wego, and Shego. Got their powers from a big rock " she giggled "Hego's a big rock"_

"_Explain"_

"_Hego is the big blue blockhead. Really strong. Really stupid. Reminds me of you sometimes."_

"_Ah little one. If only you were born on Lowardia. Still able to put up a fight." Another adjustment._

"_Tell me about the others."_

_Kim's head rolled loosely on her neck. "Mego shrinks. Mego's ego doesn't." Another giggle. "Tiny purple man. Aw gawd all the puns." _

"_Puns?"_

"_Word game. Use words that sound the same but have a diff...diff....what were we talking about?"_

"_Wego."_

"_Cute twins. Wish they were older. Multiply by dividing." More giggling "Gawd that was awful. Sweet kids"_

"_Ah...puns... I see. So little purple man is?"_

"_Mego? Is such a little dick!..." Kim coughs, trying to breath._

"_It almost makes me sad, little one. But we do what we must." Another adjustment._

"_Shego?"_

_Kim blushed, from the roots of her hair to her calves. "Oh gawd. Green kinda woman. Plasma action sold separately." she hiccuped. "Eyes you can lose yourself in. Wish I had her hair. Body. Hair. Body. Mmmmm.....wonder if carpet matches drapes?"_

_Warhok nodded. The woman throwing green plasma charges. "How did they get their powers?"_

"_Told you. Big rock. Rainbow of fruit flavors. Almost killed them all. Fell out of the sky and squashed them."_

"_Are you attracted to Shego?" pushing another step closer to his goal._

_Kim's all over blush darkened two shades. "Yes. No. Yes. Want to try to suck out her tonsils. More. Can't though."_

"_Why not little one? You're very obviously friends. Only taking it a step further."_

_Kim moaned. "Sheeego. Want to so bad. Can't. People don't like it. Not really accept...accept...lovely kissable lips" Her head again rolled on her neck._

_Warhok could see her eyes, wide open and glassy. Another adjustment._

_Kim started to feel hot, the sensation of the gel sliding across her skin was amazing. She twitched, trying to get more movement._

"_Careful little one." He glanced at the monitors. Almost perfect. He pressed a button, draining the fluid from the chamber. He caught Kim as she slid down when the fluid could no longer buoy her._

_Kim felt a hard body rubbing against her as she was carried somewhere. The feeling of hot flesh on hers was making her knees weak and her center burn._

_Warhok laid Kim face down on a low slung examination table and pulled her legs down, unsnapping the restraints and running his hands up and down the outside of her calves and thighs._

_Kim had started to pant, the sensations were driving small charges to her toes, her fingers, the small of her back. It was intoxicating. She let out another moan. She could feel hands moving in circles across her thighs, moving ever closer and closer to the current center of her universe. She was panting so hard, her vision was darkening, pulsing._

_Warhok placed a hand in the small of the little human's back and felt the jerks and the suppressed moans and gasps. She was ready. He reached up and undid the main fastening of his uniform, letting it drop to the floor. He reached out and cupped her crotch, smiling when she shoved herself onto his hand._

_Kim's world contracted when she felt the touch on her crotch. The slow motion of the fingers rubbing her outer lips made her try to shove herself backwards off the table. A hand came down once again on the middle of her back, holding her in place._

_Warhok positioned himself at her entrance. So large against the tiny body before him. He moved his hands to her small hips and slowly thrust himself forward, entering her effortlessly. She moaned loudly. Once he felt he had a good angle, he tightened his grip and lunged forward, tearing into her in a deep penetrating thrust. He gave out a satisfied grunt, holding himself there, enjoying the feeling._

_Once he entered her, Kim's vision had narrowed to tunnel vision. The feeling of slowly being stretched and filled was overwhelming what was left of her senses. She felt the hands adjust on her waist and then..._

_PAIN_

_...as Warhok's invading lunge ripped her virginity away and he slammed into her cervix._

_The pain shot through the drug haze. It shot through the desire. It slammed into her conscious mind and caused her to go into overdrive._

_Warhok was caught completely by surprise when Kim's legs bunched up and kicked backwards, catching him mid thighs and catapulting him backwards over several chairs._

_Kim spun upright and then hunched over as the pain caught up with her. Looking down, she saw the trail of her blood and juices running down the inside of both thighs. She wiggled her arms experimentally and with a sickening crunch dislocated a shoulder, enabling the fingers of her other hand to just reach the release. Once free, she relocated her shoulder and strode over to where Warhok was trying to stand back up after being kicked in his sensitive parts._

"_You are so dead."_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Jim and Tim sat in the pilot and navigation/sensor stations. Wade looked on from the engineering station. Dr. Director glared at Agent Du sitting in the captain's chair. Shego was aft, in the weapons bay, watching a smaller picture of Betty's glare._

"_Ready to launch Director." This from Du._

"_Engines?" "Online"_

"_Shields?" "Online"_

"_Weapons?" "Weapons online. Tell me when I can go hot."_

"_Transporter?" "Offline. We simply didn't have the time to get it up and running. We're going to have to board and rescue."_

_Betty rolled her eyes. "Go for launch"_

_The ship hummed as it lifted out of the hidden hangar, coming into sight for the first time since it's arrival._

_The ships hull number sparkled in the afternoon sun. GDF-X001._

_  
Someone had painted "Kimminator Mark 1" underneath._

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Warhok stumbled and was thrown backwards again by a devastating high-kick to his right bicep. The little red witch was circling the console, cursing him in another one of her planet's many tongues. The fight was really getting his blood going. She hadn't permanently hurt him yet, but many of her attacks would leave him with some lasting marks._

_Unfortunately, the drug cocktail that made her so compliant up until that oh-so-wonderful moment was also suppressing her pain centers._

_Kim flashed in for another kick and found herself lifted bodily off the floor and held by her ankle in front of and equally naked and pissed Warhok._

"_Oh little one. It is such a joy breaking you to my will. I have not had this much amusement in decades."_

"_I am going to make you eat your own dick you giant blue fuck. Let me down so I can kick your ass some more."_

_Warhok laughed and shook her. "You cannot escape nor can you beat me. It is inevitable. Once we re-establish the proper pharma levels, you will beg me to continue what we've started."_

_Kim looked at her ankle and then at him. "Not. Going. To. Happen." she ground out._

_As Warhok leered, Kim bunched and leapt upward, striking his wrist and causing him to reflexively let go of her ankle. She landed in a crouch and sent an uppercut straight into his sac._

_Pain exploded behind his eyes as the little witch hit him between the legs. His eyes rolled up and he collapsed wheezing to the floor where Kim spat on his twitching form._

"_Stay right there while I find something sharp."_

_Warhok coughed and watched her rummage through the various cabinet until he saw her stop in front of the locked one. He groaned when she forced the lock to reveal dozens of knives, clubs, and other implements._

_/Computer, emergency transport. Send female subject to anywhere but bridge or here./_

_Kim stopped as Warhok started mumbling in Lowardian._

"_Oh no you don't you son of a..."_

_Warhok collapsed on the floor once the green flash was over. He had time to now recover since the nuisance was trapped wherever she was._

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Warmonga sat meditating in the middle of her sleeping compartment. After her many defeats and now the course her husband had set them on, not to mention his beating earlier, had left the tall warrior much to think on._

_She thought about a lot of things. Most had to do with her shameful behavior towards the red-headed female who had bested her again and again._

_She had violated her oaths to the Goddess, she decided. There was only one punishment that awaited her when she returned to Lowardia._

_Small rivulets of tears ran down from her closed eyes. She would have to make sure her maniacal husband paid the price too._

_Needless to say, she was shocked when a naked and pissed Kim Possible materialized in her hygiene unit._

"_Greetings Kim Possible" she boomed out before Kim had fully materialized._

"_...bitch....what? Where the hell did I go? Warmonga!" she screamed and lunged._

_Warmonga got a good look at the bruises on the little human's body and her breath hitched when she saw the blood still sluggishly flowing down her thighs. She caught Kim's punch in her large hand, locked her wrist and spun her around into a hug._

"_I am sorry Kim. This is all my fault." This whispered into her ear._

_That stopped Kim cold. No ego. No maniacal backdrop._

_Warmonga started to gently rock her as she felt the fight drain from the little human._

"_Let me tell you about the Goddess."_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

"_Wade, are you sure they're still back there?" asked Shego "I mean it's kind of weird they didn't just leave right away a few days ago and not let us get the chance to get up here and all."_

_Wade shrugged. "Classic science fiction blunder. Assuming your more primitive enemy is in fact your more primitive enemy."_

_  
Shego rolled her eyes. One day she was going to beat the geek right out of him._

"_This is Du. Weapons hot. Shields up. We're coming around to the darkside. Begin attack run on my mark."_

"_Mark!"_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Warhok stood in a partially filled tube in the medical bay waiting for the computer to tell him that it had repaired the damage that little red-headed slut had done._

_Plans were already whirling in his head about how he was going to break her. No pharma this time. Just beat her senseless and take his prize._

_He felt the ship lurch and shudder as the computer announced /We are under attack. Initiating evasive maneuvers. Commander to the bridge/_

_/This is Warhok, emergency transport to bridge./_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Shego groaned when the ship in front of them stopped being a sitting duck and started moving and firing back._

_The ship lurched as it was hit._

"_Evasive maneuvers. Shego, passing targeting information on their weapons systems. Prioritize."_

"_On it."_

_:Hang on Princess, we're almost there:_

_KPKPKPKPKPKP_

_Warhok cursed as another weapons cluster died. :WHERE did they get a modern ship?:_

_No matter. He set another fire plan in motion as he punched up the FTL drive._

_This did not go undetected on his opponent's bridge._

"_He's powering FTL! Shego!"_

"_Firing everything I have. FIRE IN THE HOLE!"_

_Warhok's eyes widened as the little ship exploded with fire. All lasers, missiles, projectors. He felt the ship lurch hard._

_/Warning. Damage to FTL drive./_

_He bit off another curse. /Is it still operational?/_

_/Yes. However it will only operate at 44 percent./_

_/Initiate FTL jump to priority coordinates/_

_The entire crew screamed in frustration as the Lowardian ship shivered then vanished._

"_Wade, tell me you know where they're going?"_

_Wade pumped his fists. "Not only do I know, I managed to hack their navigation when you took out their shields. They're not headed toward the regional headquarters. They're on course directly to Lowardia!"_

"_Can we make that jump?"_

_The light went out of Wade's eyes. "No. We just don't have the power. We could make the regional command though. Give me a few months and we'll have the Lowardians fusion technology perfected."_

_Shego sat looking at the stars, crying for the first time she could remember._

"_Kim, wait for me. I'm coming for you."_


	3. Chapter 1

Warmonga had helped Kim back to her hygiene unit to help the younger female cleanse her body and perhaps soothe her ragged soul.

She adjusted the water temperature to slightly above the girl's and added some soothing mineral salts. Disrobing, she joined the little human in the bathing pool, sighing as the warm water sloshed to her neck.

"You know, I could really get to like this if I weren't trapped aboard a ship going who knows where with a perverted alien who wants me to be his sex toy. This is so my cousin Larry's thing, not mine."

Warmonga let her talk. Talking was good. She scooted over next to the girl and pointed at her head.

"You wish me to wash your hair?"

Kim looked terrified for a moment before nodding.

Warmonga reached over for a bottle of herbal shampoo that she had not used since her last visit to the temple gardens.

As she lathered the human's hair, she continued telling her about Lowardia.

"The Goddess is the one above all. It was her hands that shaped the universe, her hands that gave form and life to all Lowardians. She is love and honor and beauty."

Kim leaned back against the larger female and nodded. "We believe much the same thing in some parts of our world, but our deities are mostly male, not female."

Warmonga stopped rubbing her scalp, causing Kim to scoot forward and turn around.

"How can that be? Your greatest champions are female! Our studies of your world show cultures that worship the female!"

Kim sighed. "A lot of people think that a bunch of jealous old men one day decided that they didn't want to share power with those who believed in the feminine. So they discarded the literature and writings as heresy and silenced or killed the believers. It happened so long ago that no one knows the real truth any more."

"Kim, I must ask you again. Are you certain you will be able to do this thing for me?"

Kim turned back around and scooted back against Warmonga again, pointing to her head.

"I always keep my word."

Warmonga resumed massaging her scalp.

"Then there is one more thing I must teach you in the ways of the Goddess. It is my final gift to you. If you ever find yourself surrounded on all sides and have no other options left to you...."

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Warhok choked on the acrid smoke still floating around the bridge.

/Computer. Crew status?/

/We took several hits to that part of the ship. Internal sensors show heavy casualties. I currently read only seven remaining life signs./

He slapped his head in frustration.

/Are any of the survivors bridge or engineering?/

/Negative. Five are shock troopers from the land force contingent. One med bay technician. One cargo master./

He sat in thought for well over a minute.

/Release the shock troopers. Tell them we have an intruder that they must apprehend. Once they have her, instruct them to take her to the hold and break her. Under no circumstance is she to be killed. And send the med tech back to the medical bay./

/Affirmative commander. What of the cargo master?/

/Space him immediately./

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Kim looked at Warmonga in silence for a long minute.

"And if I do that, they will extend their protection to me?"

Warmonga smiled. "Yes little one. If they accept then they will protect you with all of their resources. But remember..." she added "you can only do this once."

Kim nodded.

Warmonga finished drying her off and handed her a tunic of sorts which Kim gratefully donned.

When she looked back at Warmonga, she was surprised to see a look of sadness on her face.

"Why the sad face?"

"Because, little sister, I cannot stop Warhok from finding you or taking you once again. I hope that what I've done will help you survive what is coming. Do not despair. You will survive. Look inside for the Goddess' strength. She will aid you when none other can. Do you think you can operate the transporters now?"

Kim looked at her hand and nodded. "If I keep moving, I might have a chance to avoid any sort of physical search for quite a while." She reached up and hugged the tall green woman.

"Goddess be with you." she said as she stepped through the transporter.

Warmonga sat back on her bed and silently prayed for her little sister.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

/Commander/

Warhok sat up too quickly and whanged his head on the console he was working under.

/Yes, what is it?/

/I regret to inform you that there may be an issue with your previously issued order to release the shock troopers to find the female Zou specimen/

Warhok stopped what he was doing immediately. It wasn't like an Omega AI to sound...guilty?

/Explain/

/When I put down the mutiny as you ordered, I used the GS4G sedative gas to keep them docile while in containment since many of them could and tried to bypass the security on the brig cells/

/So?/

/In the subsequent battle with the Earth vessel, I was severely impaired until you were able to restore most of my internal functions. I have since determined that the converted holding bay was exposed to a rather large leak of battle preparation formula GB19. When my systems came back online, automatic safety protocols initiated an emergency release of the GA19 antidote. Unfortunately, I am unable to stop the antidote release at this time and the gas is still being deployed erratically throughout the ventilation system./

Warhok ran the numbers through his mind for a minute trying to see what the computer was hinting at. When it finally hit him, he jumped from his chair and hit the emergency override on the bridge transporter.

/Shut down all transporters immediately! Lock them to my voice code only/

/Done. What should we do about the Zou specimen given the current situation?/

/Get me the remaining med tech. Let's hope there's no effect on the human./

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Kim was crawling through the environmental ductwork. :Strange that it looks pretty much the same as any of the villain lair ducts I've been crawling through for the past few years:

Unfortunately, she was caught completely unaware when the environmental system decided to spray her in the face with some sort of funny smelling mist.

"Gah! Pfft Pffthpth"

Her vision swam and her joints locked and relaxed. She began to see things from the corners of her peripheral vision. Her hearing sharpened that she was able to hear the sounds of an argument just below her.

She was still coping with her heightened senses when several large green hands punched through the metal and yanked her into the compartment below.

To her credit, she hit the ground fighting. Two Lowardians, even larger than Warhok, were reaching down to grab her when she exploded into their faces.

She double tapped one back into the wall and spun to deliver an upward palm to the nose on the other when she felt a large pair of arms grab her and throw her into the wall where she slid down, dazed. The one that she had not hit picked her up and threw her into the wall again and again until all she could see was stars. She barely felt it when she was thrown facedown on an oversized crate.

She tried to kick back weakly. A large hand gripped her head and smashed it against the crate. When she feebly rose, the hand smashed again. This time all she could do is lay there and moan. She couldn't even twitch when she felt the hand between her legs, rubbing her roughly. After about a minute of this rough handling, she felt something warm and firm once again placed at her opening. He didn't even pause. He just thrust until he bottomed out and pulled back and thrust again. She could feel her body responding, lubricating to protect itself from the raw intrusion.

The Lowardian pounded her for an eternity until she felt him shove really hard and howl. She closed her eyes as she felt hot wetness spread deep inside her, each individual jerk coating her insides again and again. She felt him withdraw and heard a wet pop as he sprung free. She felt hot breath on the side of her neck as he leaned down and licked her ear.

/....../ he said and he left.

She didn't understand exactly what he said, but the meaning was clear. She was silently crying as the next Lowardian thrust deep inside her and began to use her as the one before him did. A few minutes into it she began crying harder as it started feeling good.

The Lowardian behind her grunted and said /...../ and reached down and ran his hands across her now-exposed nub. A bolt of pure pleasure shot up and down her spine and she moaned again. Her tormenter stopped mid stroke and laughed. He slowly pulled out and pulled her farther away from the crate.

She felt him take a strong grip on her hips and she tried to relax, waiting for the deep thrust. Instead, she got a ripping sensation as the Lowardian speared her virgin rosebud. She shot up and screamed as he stopped about halfway in.

/...../ he said, then started pumping again

Kim started to struggle harder and she held out hope when he stopped. But he had only stopped to take her head and smash it against the crate once, twice, a third time before he felt her struggles subside and he continued pumping his hips into her.

She felt him shiver and once again the damp wetness coat her insides.

He pulled out and let her drop to the floor, dazed and exhausted. She could feel the seed within her start to slide slowly towards her violated openings.

She never noticed the first Lowardian returning.

He brought friends.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Warhok completed the repairs to the engineering console and sat down.

/Computer, how long until we reach Lowardia?/

/Calculating..../

Warhok looked over at the two security monitors. On the first, it showed him his wife deep in prayer. On the other, it showed the continuing assault and denouement of the red-headed witch. She had stopped struggling by the time the last shock trooper had finished and the first one had stood up to go again.

/Computer, how long until the effects of the mixed gasses wears off the shock troopers in the cargo hold?/

/18 days plus or minus a half day. I have calculated our arrival at Lowardia. Estimated time in FTL 12 days/

Warhok groaned. :This is going to be real trouble:

His com pinged.

/This is the med bay calling the bridge, please respond commander/

/Warhok here. What do you have?/

/I'm afraid I don't have good news. If the human female was exposed to GB19 then to GA19, then there are no side effects. We have essentially the same brain chemistry in that regard./

/She was not on board for the release of GB19./

/Oh dear. Well, barring any significant trauma, all we have to do is sedate her for about four or five days/

Warhok put his face in his palms.

/And if there's been significant trauma?/

The med tech blanched.

/They produce a few hormones and chemicals that we do not when exposed to intense situations. Combine them with the antidote and you have full blown combat potency. In effect, her body will naturally manufacture a variant of GB19. Unless she is removed from continued exposure to the gas, she will most likely suffer a psychotic break once levels are concentrated enough and kill anything and everything she comes across until sedated and treated./

/I'd suggest you look at security feed 3B/

The med tech turned to another station and punched up the security feed and then up at the ceiling vents.

/Is she small enough to fit through the air vents?/ he squeaked.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Warmonga rocked on her bed, crying silently as she heard Kim's ordeal dimly through the wall she shared with the adjacent cargo hold.

She wove this into a silent prayer for Kim to her Goddess.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Kim was pretty sure she had a concussion once they left her alone long enough to even start thinking again. Maybe a loose tooth or two. The ringing in her ears was a dead giveaway to some serious head trauma.

She no longer had any idea what day or time it was. The group had settled into some sort of ritual. After her third escape attempt, they had welded something to the floor near the pile of rags she slept on and in that also ran to her left leg. To be precise, through her left leg. They had sprayed something on it that had sealed the bleeding blood vessels, but it still hurt. A few experimental tugs confirmed it went through some bones.

She had picked up a small Lowardian vocabulary. Good, Bad, fuck, piss, ass, bitch, slut, harder, food, water.

When they heard her stomach rumble in what she thought was the third day since her capture, they had thrown her strips of flesh from something. She silently prayed for a miraculous delivery of Mystery Meat.

She cringed when the one she dubbed Number Two got up and started ambling over, letting his uniform drop away.

Kim quickly turned around and knelt, presenting to him.

/Good slut/ he mumbled as he quickly dropped to his knees behind her and slammed deeply into her.

Kim made the appropriate moaning noise and she swallowed a groan at the dry intrusion. She had learned to show appreciation at her humiliation after a second beating when they caught her on her second escape attempt.

She heard Number Two making the grunts that made it clear he was just about finished. Sure enough, she felt him splash within her moments later. He pulled out, grabbed his uniform, and shambled away.

Kim pushed herself back into her corner and tried to stop the trembling. She had to find a way out of this place.

She was still thinking when two of them came running back into the room, gesticulating wildly. The whole group got up and were really excited about something. One of them looked back over his shoulder, obviously asking a question.

The all shrugged. Number 4 turned around and came toward her. She scrabbled hastily to lay down on her back with her legs pulled up in preparation. Instead of removing his uniform, he pulled a wickedly large knife and jumped at her with it upraised.

Kim would never be able to recall clearly what happened after that. Time slowed down as she rolled out of the way of the plunging knife, which she grabbed, reversed, and used to nearly take Number 4's head from his shoulders, spraying a light greenish ichor all over everything. When she inhaled the blood scent, her body went into overdrive. As if she did these sort of things all the time, she reached down and simply snapped the wire holding her to the floor.

At that sound, the remaining troopers all turned around to see Kim licking the blood of their fallen comrade from his own knife.

Kim grinned ferally and leapt headlong at the onrushing mob.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Warhok could only watch in morbid fascination as his security feeds showed him the impossible scene of Kim Possible recklessly charging into four imperial shocktroopers doped on the pre-battle pharma.

He saw the first lunge for a quick grab and slam. He barely saw her move, but the spray of green blood was impressive. He watched as she pulled out a length of intestine and choked the remaining life out of him with it.

Dropping the body to the floor, she made a come hither motion with her hand.

Two advanced on her this time. In a red blur, she ducked and kicked out at a kneecap. He could see the agony on the face of the trooper as he spun around, facing the camera. He watched as the knife appeared quickly and speared through the bottom of his chin. Her finishing move nearly ripped off half his face.

The other had crept up behind her and made a grab for her shoulders, hoping to squeeze her into dropping the knife. She ducked into a split and threw the knife into a backwards thrust, upwards just to the side of her head.

The troopers eyes bugged out as eight inches of Lowardian battle metal alloy severed his balls from his body and slid into his lower intestinal tract. He fell over screaming.

The last trooper had decided that running away would be a good thing.

Warhok could only listen to the screams as she caught up with him somewhere off-camera.

He turned off the video but the audio control was still broken and stuck in the on position. He sat listening to their screams as she tortured them far far into the night. At some point, once the noise stopped, she called out to him.

"As soon as I figure out the transporter overrides, I am going to cut off your dick and feed it to you blue boy."

He silently prayed that neither the Empire nor the humans on Earth would never truly learn what had occurred.


	4. Chapter 2

Lowardian Central Space Traffic Control was usually a quiet post. No one dared the Emperor's wrath by disrupting the merchant flow of riches and tribute from the far reaches of his empire.

So it was a complete surprise when long range sensors tracked an incoming cruiser from a sector of space not currently undergoing assimilation into the empire.

It was an even bigger surprise when, as shorter and more powerful sensors kicked in, they detected an FTL drive failure in progress.

It was an even bigger event, probably the biggest in living history, when the cruiser's drive failed during FTL shutdown and it blew into the central hub of the Lowardian Star Empire screaming Omega priorities at fractional-c velocities.

The effect was immediate and catastrophic. All civilian traffic was instantly FTL'd out-system to a predetermined parking zone. All military traffic, regardless of current standing orders immediately went combat live and set up a protected corridor straight to Lowardia itself.

Hundreds of space tugs shot tractor after tractor at the slewing cruiser, slowing it down so that it could be safely pulled into the huge Invictus-class command carrier orbiting geosynchronously above the palace and Temple.

At the palace emergency transporters whisked nearly everyone away to underground bunkers...except for the Emperor himself, his closest advisers, and the Omega Guard. The temple was in an uproar as hundreds of initiates and teachers ran to grab ceremonial robes and artifacts.

An ancient Lowardian sat serenely on a bench in the midst of the chaos. He felt the shadow of someone coming up behind him.

/You must attend this. An Omega priority has been issued by a ship returning severely damage from that sector of space./

KPKPKPKPKPKP

The damaged cruiser settled into a docking cradle deep within the bowels of the largest Lowardian command structure ever built.

No com signal could be detected other than the automated Omega signal and the sensors prying into the wreck gave no definitive answers.

A heavily festooned admiral signaled to shut down the beacon as two battalions of Lowardia's finest took up positions around the heavily damage vessel.

/We have com with the living compartments Admiral, and a request for Justice of the Goddess/

The admiral and his entire staff gasped as an aide silently pressed a summons.

A flash of green and four members of the Goddess's Own, the ancient Temple guardians, materialized on the floor of the docking bay in front of the passenger compartment emergency hatch. Dozens of soldiers scrambled out of their way but remained prostrate for having come so near to them.

The one nearest the hatch removed something from her pocket and pointed it at the ship. There was a loud screeching noise as the hatch bent then popped open revealing Warmonga, dressed only in a simple shift.

The admiral nearly wet himself upon seeing Warmonga, now knowing exactly who was on the ship.

Warmonga took the steps forward necessary to kneel between the guards, not even raising her eyes. The entire group disappeared to the whispers and mumblings of nearly everyone.

/Com with bridge established Admiral/

/Put it on/

/...I repeat, do not attempt to breach the hull. The Omega emergency is still in effect. Subject could not be contained and has run wild throughout the ship. You will have to force the emergency hatches, the Omega subject has disabled all internal controls./

The admiral looked at the terror-stricken face of Warhok and shook his head. He had hoped to live to a ripe old age. Now he was going to have to tell the Emperor his favorite nephew had landed this heap of trouble in his lap.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

/...and that's what happened Uncle./ Warhok sighed dramatically, done weaving a tale to his Emperor uncle that hopefully would keep him alive long enough to disappear.

The Emperor nodded and beckoned to the waiting Admiral and his team.

/I take it you have contained this menacing human?/

/We have not your Eminence. The drug cocktail Warhok described has the added bonus of scrambling our sensor signals. We know he's in there somewhere, just not exactly where. After seeing the recorded security footage, I'm not willing to risk sending in a team until the gas has run its course./

The Emperor sighed. /Then just drop the whole thing in the Arenum and have one of the condemned crack it open for us/

The officer paled. /As you wish your Eminence/

Once the Admiral's party left the throne room, his senior aide turned to him.

/Why didn't you present the findings of our investigation?/

Looking around, the Admiral bent down to whisper in his ear /Because the coward got to him first with a beautiful and believable lie. If we dispute it now, Warhok will ensure we too are in the Arenum/

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Warmonga knelt in the dead garden for the third day, awaiting the time they came to hear her confess her crimes and be taken to her death.

An old woman once again came out of the temple and offered her bread and water.

She refused both, but thanked the woman for her kindness. The old woman once again looked at her like she was crazy but nodded and went back inside.

So intent on her internal struggle she did not notice the two figures who had come to see this former princess kneel in the Garden of Winter awaiting her judging.

The older of the two nudged the younger and nodded. It was time.

Warmonga never noticed the approach of the guards nor the cloaked figure whom they escorted.

What she did notice was the many pairs of gossamer covered feet that had surrounded her. Her mind went blank when she realized exactly whose guards were the only ones that wore the gossamer boots.

She dropped from her knees and into the formal pose, head touching the rotting ground beneath her, before she spoke.

/It is my greatest honor to greet you in the name of the Goddess, Handmaiden/ as she tried to press further into the mat of rotting leaves beneath her face.

A hand came down on her shoulder and spoke

/Confess now what you have done in the Goddess' Light and all will be washed away. You have been here three days and three nights in contemplation of your sin. Speak now so that we may judge, forgive, and take you to your end in the Arenum in but a few hours hence when the Emperor sets loose this human devil so that he too may be purged./

Warmonga stiffened.

/Handmaiden, I beg forgiveness, but I must save my sister. Warhok has done the most unspeakable thing! The human that he took prisoner was FEMALE and she possesses Zou!/

All of the guards gasped as one and the Handmaiden recoiled in horror.

/Child, are you absolutely certain of what you speak? Do you swear not only upon your immortal soul but upon your sacrifice to the Goddess and forfeit your place in her court if you lie?/

Warmonga nodded.

/Please save my sister in spirit. I'll pay any price/

Another round of gasps.

/Sister in spirt? What did you do Warmonga?/

Warmonga finally collapsed prostrate on the ground.

/After Warhok drugged and violated.../

/VIOLATED!/ they all screamed.

/...yes, he attempted to bend her to be his mate, to control.../cough/...her, I initiated her into the sacred sisterhood to help her survive what I could do nothing to prevent.../cough/.../ she trailed off, coughing and crying.

/You initiated her outside of a Temple?/

The Handmaiden backed away from the broken and sobbing woman on the ground before her.

/You two! Pick her up and bring her. You four, on my authority, arrest Warhok and have him brought to the temple area in the Arenum. You two, fetch the Master and the Mysteries. We don't have much time!/

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Warhok took his seat in the royal box gingerly. He was beginning to feel panic since he had not been able to slip off and vanish in the last three days. He glanced around and down at the floor of the Arenum below.

Dozens of the convicted were lined up beside the hulk that was once his cruiser. Several of the inmates had been given cutting torches to cut into the marked area on the hull of the ship leading to the cargo hold when the time came.

He counted himself lucky that so little was known about humans that they might not pay close enough attention to the witch's corpse when they burned it.

A flash of an incoming transporter went off on the royal balcony. The Emperor's personal guard brought weapons to bear on the pad and a wall of flesh was thrown between it and the Emperor himself.

What materialized caused the guards to drop their weapons and step back.

It was four maidens of The Twenty. Personal guards of the Handmaiden of the Goddess Incarnate.

/Warhok, you are under arrest for crimes against the Goddess for which you have been found guilty/ they said in unison as they reached for him.

To his credit, no one knew he'd wet himself until much later.

KPKPKPKPKPKP

Warmonga lay prostrate once again at the feet of the Handmaiden, who nudged her with her foot before speaking.

/Warmonga, for what you have done this day, many have talked of forgiveness and permanently admitting you to the temple where you can live out the rest of your days in prayer and silence. What say you?/

Warmonga struggled to kneel and felt hands helping steady her.

/Handmaiden I must refuse. I have given my life into the hands of my sister in spirit who has promised me an honorable death in the ancient way as the only atonement for the dishonor I have brought upon all of my sisters/

The Master of the Temple stepped out of the shadows behind the Handmaiden.

/And what do you know of the ancient ways?/

Warmonga groaned and struggled upright. She took a calming breath.

/I am Warmonga/ she thundered /daughter in a ancient line of daughters going back to before the Splintering, before the Founding. It was my family that first hid the Mysteries you protect. My family who seated the first Emperors after the Splintering nearly destroyed this world. And besides.../

Both the Handmaiden and the Master looked at her

[I know where else in the universe this language is still alive]

All of the members of The Twenty present knelt at the sound of the ancient tongue.

The Master began to chuckle.

[Well then honorable daughter of an honorable house, let's not keep your sister waiting]


End file.
